Forgiveness

Mahatma Gandhi: Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong

I think about it what actually is, forgiveness. Let’s look closely at it.

Firstly, you have to have something to forgive, some wrong doing that really makes your blood boil. Maybe some jerk stole your car and put you in hospital in the process. What do you do?

Hunt him down and in the the spirit of an eye for an eye look for retribution? Let’s say you do find him after months of detective work, let’s say you do get retribution, let’s say you lose your temper and take his life. Does that make things right?

You still have the injuries, you still have the vision of the smiling face driving away in your pride and joy. Only now you have plenty of time to concentrate on it from within the wall of your prison cell. Bitter and twisted, you blame the jerk for you missing your wife, mother and friends. Oh sure you are a hero, you stood up for the rights of the common man. The Jerk is still a jerk. He is in such a low state of development that he has no way of working out how much he has affected your life.

So let’s look at an alternative, let’s look at not doing those things. Are you a coward for not reacting to the Jerk? No you are wise to not choose anger. Are you the bigger man for forgiving this unfortunate who knows no better? No not really, but you are indeed a much happier person living a full life with the freedom to do as you please and take your place in the world. Is it weak to forgive? Nope there are definite advantages.

You can still choose, and sometimes it is necessary, to stand up and fight. Sometimes it’s more advantageous to shrug your shoulders, huff and walk away. But without first considering the effects of both then you don’t have much of a choice.